This pitch deck about pitching (meta ;-) is used by Startup Victoria in workshops and to prepare early stage startup founders for their monthly Pitch Nights. It goes through Why you should be able to deliver a good pitch, What a good pitch deck contains, and How you deliver a good pitch.

2. Sell the dream…
no one buys reality

3. IN THIS PRESENTATION
Why
pitch
What
to pitch
How
to pitch

4. PITCHING FOR FOLLOWERS
You are a leader, asking people to have faith in you and follow your vision.
1% of your audience might give you money.
100% of your audience will remain influential to the success of your idea.
4

5. GETTING FOLLOWERS IS PROCEDURAL
Show your team is
well suited to disrupt
the industry you are
targeting.
5
Inspire Persuade
Take
leadership
Have a brilliant idea. Show you can get
customers.

6. The audience will not follow you because of what they heard.
The audience will not follow you because of what the saw.
The audience will follow you based on how you made them feel.
WHY WILL PEOPLE FOLLOW YOU?
6

7. One topic per slide.
Your slides are complementary to what you are saying, not a carbon copy
Rule of threes (i.e. three points per slide)
WHAT TO PITCH?
7

8. Know the audience you are pitching to.
Know your path/structure.
Be able to explain your story to a Rubber duck.
8
STRUCTURE HELPS YOU AND YOUR AUDIENCE TO FOLLOW THE STORY

9. 9

10. WHAT IS IN A GOOD PITCH DECK
1. Elevator Pitch
2. The Problem
3. Your Solution
4. Market Size
5. Business Model ($)
6. Marketing
7. Traction
8. Competitors
9. Team
10. The Ask
10

11. Introduce your business in 1-2 sentences
Never take more than 30 seconds
Grab the attention of your audience
ELEVATOR PITCH1
11

12. PROBLEM2
Find the simplest way to explain the problem
Make the problem specific and relatable
Emphasise that your problem is a first tier problem*
*A first tier problem is a problem that is important enough to your potential customers that they will act
on solving it.
12

13. SOLUTION3
13
Explain how you will address the problem your target audience is facing
Show a smart and simple solution with one key feature that makes your startup
awesome
Show how your Minimum Valuable Product (MVP) delivers that solution

14. MARKET SIZE4
Illustrate the total size of your market (GO BIG)
Show you understand your business by breaking down the market to what you
can realistically address (go specific)
Demonstrate your business is a great opportunity which is worth the risk.
14

15. BUSINESS MODEL5
How will you monetise your solution?
In what ways is your business model scalable and repeatable?
Find something smart and simple (too many options are not helping you)
15

16. MARKETING6
Who is your target audience?
Where can you find them?
What channels could you use to reach them?
16

17. TRACTION7
Traction is evidence that there is market demand
This evidence can be revenue, users, industry partners, media coverage…
Prove your audience that you are on to something by showing real results
17

18. COMPETITORS8
You always have competitors or you are in the wrong market
Show who they are and where they are positioned
What are you doing better/faster?
18

19. TEAM9
This slide is crucial, but should not take too much time
Show the audience that your team is well suited to execute the solution
Name your partners, their roles and talk about why they are the right fit for
your team
19

20. THE ASK10
You are not pitching just for fun, so ask for something
Make sure your ask is aligned to what your audience can give you
Ask investors for money, but ask a crowd to follow your business or to get
involved
20

21. The art of pitching (=communication): rapport, influence and trust
You are interacting with the audience
Follow the Golden Pitch Rule: 7% - 38% - 55% Rule
HOW TO PITCH?
21

22. Most people put the bulk of their efforts into the verbal component, i.e.
what they will say.
Focusing everything on the verbal component of the pitch leaves them with
93% to improve on.
7% - 38% - 55% RULE
22
7% 38% 55%
Verbal Paraverbal Non-verbal

23. 1. Improving eye contact
to build report your gaze should meet theirs 70-80% of the time
2. Matching the audience’s behaviour
Matching involves noticing some part of another person's experience and doing something the same
[mirroring] or similar [matching]
3. Using your voice to your advantage
It's not what you say, it's how you say it. Leverage your vocal ranges (tone, volume, range, etc..) Slow
down, keep at their pace
PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE 93%
23

24. So your audience will pay attention
People will focus on you instead of the pitch deck
It gives you the opportunity to highlight key components during your pitch
MODULATE YOUR PACE, VOLUME, PITCH AND PASSION…
24

25. I didn’t say you drank my red wine.
I didn’t say you drank my red wine.
I didn’t say you drank my red wine.
I didn’t say you drank my red wine.
I didn’t say you drank my red wine.
I didn’t say you drank my red wine.
I didn’t say you drank my red wine.
I didn’t say you drank my red wine.
TRY IT OUT
25

26. 4. Confident posture + language
Use strong Posture and positive language.
5. Never come across as needy
Stop all validated seeking behaviour
6. You are the prize!
Shift your thinking from scarcity to abundance. There is only one of you and you are what makes
your idea successful
PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO 93%
26

27. You pitch for followers, and people will follow you because of how you make
them feel.
Structure your, situation-specific, pitch well, and be able to explain your story in
layman’s terms.
Pitching = communicating, and most communication is para- or nonverbal…
RECAP
27

28. Adapt to your audience and
keep things simple

29. @StartupVic
thomas@startupvictoria.com.au
www.startupvictoria.com.au